idioms Archives - Every Speaker Counts

Language, VideoNovember 26, 2023December 20, 2023

You nailed it and other English idioms

In this post, you will learn five idioms that Americans use to praise someone for a job well done. Idioms are a type of figurative language where the words put together lose their literal meaning. The problem is that when we study English at school, we learn the literal meaning of words. And when we […]

Language, VideoAugust 13, 2023August 19, 2023

English expressions to agree with others

What are some different ways in English to say “I understand” or “I agree?” Let’s say you agree with someone’s opinion or at least you want to let them know that you understand why they think this way even if you don’t agree. Of course, the most straightforward and obvious way is to say “I […]

LanguageFebruary 5, 2023February 5, 2023

“When the rubber meets the road” and other idioms

I’ve heard from some nonnative speakers that they are reluctant to use idioms at work as they think that such phrases are unprofessional. But the truth is that Americans use them everywhere, so don’t be afraid. Of course, if you are not sure if the situation is appropriate, you can always stay more on the formal […]

LanguageJanuary 29, 2023February 5, 2023

“To run out of steam” and other idioms

When it comes to idioms, most nonnative speakers strive to remember as many of them as they can because they think knowing how to use such phrases would make a speaker sound more fluent. This might be true to a certain extent, although a person doesn’t need to use a ton of them to be […]

MotivationOctober 30, 2022December 4, 2022

Words you forget are still in your memory

I don’t know about you, but I still get somewhat upset when I see a word that I know I’ve looked up before, but don’t remember its meaning. After having been in the US for 20 years, this doesn’t happen too often, but every now and then I would hear a term and think, I […]

LanguageMay 22, 2022February 5, 2023

“You nailed it” and other idioms

A while ago I heard a nonnative speaker complaining that he had totally misunderstood his boss because of a phrase the latter had used. The situation was the following: the nonnative speaker presented something at work and after the presentation he asked his boss for feedback. “You killed it,” his boss said. The presenter was […]

First Name
Last Name
Email address

Categories	Speaking Club
	Newsletter